Tumgik
#elessar telcontar
katajainen · 1 year
Text
And there at the door were two guards in the livery of the Citadel: one tall, but the other scarce the height of a boy; and when he saw them he cried aloud in surprise and joy.
'Strider! How splendid! Do you know, I guessed it was you in the black ships. But they were all shouting corsairs and wouldn't listen to me. How did you do it?'
Aragorn laughed, and took the hobbit by the hand. 'Well met indeed!' he said. 'But there is not time yet for travellers' tales.'
But Imrahil said to Éomer: 'Is it thus that we speak to our kings? Yet maybe he will wear his crown in some other name!'
And Aragorn hearing him, turned and said: 'Verily, for in the high tongue of old I am Elessar, the Elfstone, and Envinyatar, the Renewer': and he lifted from his breast the green stone that lay there. 'But Strider shall be the name of my house, if that be ever established. In the high tongue it will not sound so ill, and Telcontar I will be and all the heirs of my body.'
Or, the time in The Return of the King where Pippin casually names the Royal House of Gondor. (I will never NOT find this funny, because this is so quintessentially Tolkienian brand of humour.)
26 notes · View notes
armenelols · 2 years
Text
You know there was a historian many years in Gondor's future who studied Quenya and then had a breakdown over Elessar Envinyatar, the first king of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor, Aragorn son of Arathorn, captain Thorongil, Chieftain of the Dúnedain, naming his royal house 'Strider' and switching the language to make it sound posh
1K notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
Happy Birthday to the King!
"My brother, my Captain, my king..." - Boromir
"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will, you have my sword." - Aragorn
23 notes · View notes
james-town · 3 months
Text
Tumblr media
Elessar
26 notes · View notes
carmisse · 2 months
Text
Eryn Galen Family Tree
Some headcanons on which I based this.
Before leaving Nelyafinwë and Findekano get married secretly due to the death of his grandfather.
Unfortunately, they are forced to separate for a long time before Fingon goes to look for his husband, rescuing him from the clutches of Morgoth and his servant. After a long healing process, the two finally unite their faiths and conceive a son. Ereinion Gil-Galad, whom they must let go to Círdan for his proper protection.
•••
Gil-Galad grows up without knowing much of his origin, however he manages to consolidate as a friend of the Sindar, under the tutelage of Círdan.
Thus, during a visit to Doriarth, Eldarion meets Prince Oropher, the young son of Elmo, and nephew of King Thingol. Who also turns out to be a candidate to be his spouse; to the displeasure of both, since at the beginning they do not tolerate each other at all. However, and after a time in which they put their laziness behind them after their lives were put in danger due to an incident outside Melian's belt, they decide to continue with the courtship between them, concluding that they will go at their own pace with it.
As it turns out, they get married.
Living in a fairly stable and happy marriage, they decide to wait a while before even considering having children. Although they enjoy taking care of their nephew, Celeborn, son of Oropher's brother, Galadhon.
The two enjoy their time together very much, Oropher still works in his uncle's court and Ereinion continues to apprentice with Círdan.
During the eighth year of their marriage, they finally have an only son, Thranduil.
Gondolin falls, and with it Ereinion is summoned to the island of Balar where he is told of his origin, who his parents are and the death of his uncle Turgon, for which he was now to be named High King.
Shortly after the third murder of relatives. Gil-Galad founds the city of Lindon which he rules with the help of Oropher. At the same time they see Thranduil grow up more. Being that when the latter reaches adolescence, his ada founds Eryn Galen, Oropher is appointed king by the wood elves and much to his regret he must leave to lead what remains of his family's village, Thranduil stays with Ereinion for seasons, especially because he wishes to continue seeing his cousin, Celeborn, although he also visits his ada.
The last alliance arrives, Gil-Galad has decided to create an army to attack Sauron in an attempt to quell the evil he spreads throughout Middle-earth.
Oropher is captured by the dark lord, his husband and son believe him dead, Thranduil is crowned king in the midst of battle and his Atar guides him as best he can given the current circumstances.
(I know Thingol banned Quenya, but Erenion, Oropher and Thranduil probably spoke it at home).
It is not until the climax of the war that Glorfindel gives his help to Oropher who manages to flee from Sauron because the latter finally came out to give battle to Gil-Galad.
(Fuck the canon, Oropher and Ereinion are alive when it ends.)
•••
Thranduil and Glorfindel met during the last alliance, because of young Elrond.
Thranduil felt a great admiration for the lord of the house of the golden flower, while Glorfindel decided to give himself a chance to fall in love again if he and the prince of Eryn Galen could get out of the war.
Being so, both spoke towards the fourth year of the conflict, confessing their desire towards the culmination of what they are living. Since by tradition the elves do not marry during the war and much less have children. During that time, only once in the fifth year of the last alliance, the two share a single kiss that turns out to be nothing more than a brush of lips. The war ends, thanks to the Valar they can now breathe without fear that this is their last day in the same land.
Glorfindel decides to court Thranduil this under the blessing of Gil-Galad and Oropher.
(Celeborn and Elrond organize the betrothal dinner)
They however, decide to marry with the trees as witnesses before having a larger celebration as expected by the elves. Ten years pass before Prince Legolas is born.
Tumblr media
Version 0.2
Aragorn and Legolas already have a relationship when they join the Fellowship of the Ring. Gandalf knows it and Frodo is very suspicious since despite their many attempts, they do not disguise it as well as they think.
Frodo is aware of the looks they give each other when they think no one sees them.
Boromir has seen them flirting, they use the sindarin but it is clear what is flirting.
Gimli also found them sharing his watch. Aragorn had his head resting on Legolas' lap while Legolas hummed to him and stroked his dark locks, both looking up at the stars.
It is Pippin who in his boredom asks to please tell them how they met, how long they have been together and also asks if those rings they wear themselves mean they are married.
It is Legolas who just resigns himself and tells the story, Sam finds it quite romantic and Gimli just says that Legolas charmed him with his singing, which makes everyone laugh.
Tumblr media
Extra headcanons :
- Fingon is trans.
- Sindar have both gender.
- Glorfindel was very afraid of falling in love after losing Ecthelion, however Thranduil came as a bucket of cold water. He makes amends with his relationship with Ecthelion and decides to follow his feelings.
- Glorfindel is sworn to Elrond being this descendant of Turgon to whom he was sworn before. For which he lives in Imladris, Thranduil understands it because his parents also lived separated in spite of being married because they had their own duties. However, Elrond sends Glorfindel away until Legolas is the equivalent of sixteen human years old. It is then that he is finally allowed to return.
- Legolas has honey-colored hair, a combination of his parents'. His eyes are also warm like Glorfindel's even if the color of them is similar to Thranduil's.
- If Aragorn and Legolas had a daughter she would be named Miriel.
16 notes · View notes
borom1r · 4 months
Text
a lil obsessed that Viggo is not in the cast commentary for fellowship OR two towers. think I’ll lose my mind if he’s not in RotK either
7 notes · View notes
iamnotshazam · 4 months
Text
acidentally plunged myself into the idea that Arwen, daughter of First Age survivor Elrond and poor sweet Celebrían, granddaughter of Middle-earth's OG elvish battle-queen Artanis "I Possibly Took Part in All Three Kinslayings and All I Got Was a Loving Husband" Galadriel, and a long-time seasoned traveler between Rivendell and Lothlórien, has all the exact same incredible wilderness survival and combat skills as Aragorn
but nobody in Minas Tirith realizes this until, one afternoon when the Queen is inexplicably late to some court function, a vaguely familiar mud-splattered walking clod of earth dances up to Elessar Telcontar I, King of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor, and he sighs and lets the apparition kiss him on the cheek.
"I thought I saw one of the mearas and grew distracted," the Thing says to him, sheepishly. It scrapes a bit more mess off of its face and reveals grey eyes that are still not-quite mortal.
"You should have known, then, that you wouldn't be able to catch it," the King says back, clearly teasing.
The eldritch ball of dirt that grew legs and walked into court giggles and twines a curl of something that might have once resembled long shining dark hair around its finger. It now resembles nothing so much as seaweed that somehow took on the quality of Ithilien topsoil. "I am back in time to clean up before dinner, at least."
"Well, at least your priorities are in the correct order, dear," the King says. And with that the amalgam of woman and wilderness gathered from at least half the length of the Pelennor Fields turns and goes to Queen Arwen's chambers to order a bath.
the military leader the King was just speaking with: "hey sir what the Fuck"
"oh that's Strider's wife, don't mind her"
250 notes · View notes
Text
Happy birthday to Aragorn II Ellessar Edhelarn Estel Thorongil Envinyatar Dunadhan Telcontar, Son of Arathorn, Chieftain and High King of the Dunedain, Isildurs Heir, King of the West and the reunited Kingdoms Gondor and Arnor, Lord of the West, Captain of the forces of the West, bearer of the star of the north, wielder of the sword reforged, victorious in battle, whose hands bring healing, the elfstone, Elessar of the line of Valandil, Strider, Wingfoot, Longshanks! I didn’t even notice until I scrolled Tumblr today, I’m such a disappointment :/
68 notes · View notes
carlandrea · 1 year
Text
And Aragorn hearing him, turned and said: 'Verily, for in the high tongue of old I am Elessar, the Elfstone, and Envinyatar, the Renewer': and he lifted from his breast the green stone that lay there. 'But Strider shall be the name of my house, if that be ever established. In the high tongue it will not sound so ill, and Telcontar I will be and all the heirs of my body.'
This is the funniest bitch move Aragorn has pulled in his life
166 notes · View notes
actual-bill-potts · 11 months
Text
Talking with the Hobbits who had come to live on Tol Eressëa, Finrod found, was often a delight, always interesting, occasionally discomfiting.
Take for instance his fairly mild assertion that the noble cabbage, as a vegetable, could be improved upon. He was met with twin glares so fierce he was surprised he didn’t burn to ash then and there, and had to surreptitiously check his hair for burnt ends. Then he was plied with recipes that prominently featured cabbage, and not allowed to speak on any other subject until he had meekly promised to try at least five separate dishes which the Hobbits promised to prepare with their own hands.
So he had that to look forward to.
But they were very wise in the way mortals were wise, practiced in the art of letting go, embracing the joy of impermanence. Sitting with them, hearing the histories and legends of their people, was a rare pleasure; and hearing the tales of his own people from their mouths brought new meaning to the old, old words. The Tale of Fingon and Maedhros, for instance, was not tainted for them by knowledge of future horrors. It was simply a love story. Bilbo had written a poem about it; and when he recited it in his quavering voice, Finrod was moved to tears twice over: in admiration for a love that had - however briefly - conquered all evil, and for his cousins who had been so long dead.
When Bilbo came to the end of the poem, Frodo let out a long sigh. “I love that story,” he said in his light high voice. “It was my favorite when I was a tween.”
Bilbo looked at him in surprise. “It was? You never mentioned.”
A tinge of color touched Frodo’s cheeks. “No, well, I suppose I wouldn’t have at that,” he said. “It took several years after I had passed my majority for me to admit why I loved the story so much - and by then you were off in Rivendell, bothering Elrond with your impudent poetry no doubt!”
“Impudent!” said Bilbo laughing. “Well, perhaps; but he never said a word about it. That was all his stuffy advisors; and Estel of course - but he teased me for everything. Talk of impudence! I could not remark on the sun’s rising but he must say his piece about how Hobbits are so near the ground they must see the dawn well before Men and Elves, or some such rot.”
Finrod joined them in laughter. “Who was Estel?” he asked curiously. “He sounds very like Elros. For all his majesty, he could not resist offering me a step-stool whenever I greeted him, that I might look him in the eye - and I was a mere hand-span shorter than him! He took far too much delight in being taller than an Elda.”
Bilbo chuckled. “You’re more right than you know, lad; Estel is none other than Aragorn Elessar Telcontar, your - I suppose he would be grand-nephew-in-law? - and King of Gondor and Arnor in Middle-earth.”
“Really?” Finrod said in surprise. “Why was he called Estel?”
Bilbo blinked. “Has Elrond not told you?”
“I doubt Elrond has wished to speak of those days much, while the grief is so near,” Frodo said gently.
Bilbo nodded. “True enough; well then, I will tell the story,” and he told the tale of how Arathorn son of Arador had been cruelly slain when his son Aragorn was yet young, and all that followed. Some of it Finrod had heard from Elrond, and others who had come from Rivendell; but other parts of the story, such as Gilraen’s words to Elrond, were new and moved him greatly.
“High is the valor of the Edain!” he said when Bilbo had finished speaking. “They have proven it in every Age; and the Edenith no less than the Edain.”
“Yes,” said Bilbo dryly, “there are many poems to that effect, I believe. I have even composed one myself - if you count Eärendil as a Man, of course. Accounts differ.” He turned to Frodo. “But you, my lad, have not yet explained why you loved the Tale of Fingon and Maedhros so much!”
Frodo met his eyes. “Can you not guess, Uncle?”
Bilbo held his gaze for a moment; then he chuckled. “I suppose I can, at that! What a very eligible bachelor you were, for far too many years. Ah, I am sorry, Nephew.”
Frodo laughed; then sighed. “No need to apologize! How were you to know, when I did not see it myself for so long? In any case, it would not have made a difference. The Ring took all of that from me. Perhaps it was better that I was not encouraged -” he stopped. “Well! Never mind.” He looked over at Finrod. “I am sorry, Zir; we are getting into personal matters. I will leave off the reminiscing, and we will talk of happier things.”
(That was another thing that delighted Finrod about the Hobbits: they had given him another name! They called him Zir, the Wise - or so he was assured - in their own tongue. “We cannot let the Men and Dwarves get ahead of us,” Bilbo had said, upon being introduced to Finrod, “may I call you Zir? That way you can complete the set, and be called wise in every tongue.”
“Besides, he is at least twice the size of our Samwise,” Frodo had added, laughing; and although Finrod did not quite understand the connection between Samwise and Zir he was too delighted by the name to inquire further.)
But his friend was not laughing now. Finrod said gently, “You need not, if your heart is troubled. I am happy to listen.”
“Well - perhaps not now,” Frodo said, glancing slightly at his uncle; and Finrod nodded. He did not wish to grieve the old Hobbit; and he turned the conversation down happier paths with the ease of one who had once sat between Elu Thingol and Angrod at table.
But later, when he was getting up to leave, he looked into Frodo’s eyes which were so sad and tired for all their wisdom, and said on impulse, “Frodo, would you like to look at the stars with me for awhile? And Bilbo too, of course,” he added, for politeness’ sake; but Bilbo looked at the both of them from under his white brows and said, “I am too old for such Elvish nonsense! You go on, and I shall stay beside my cozy fire,” and if his eyes were full of rue they were also laughing in the way of mortals.
Finrod offered his arm to Frodo; and they went out through the little gate and settled upon a bench. Frodo tipped his head back and gazed at the Valacirca, face solemn. There were not yet many threads of silver in his hair; but the stars caught the edges of his curls and crowned him with such light that he could have been silhouetted against the vessel of Tilion.
Finrod sat quietly beside him, feeling the stars kiss his own forehead; and after a moment Frodo spoke.
“I have come into the uttermost West,” he said, “and I have been healed in body; but not even the Valar can remove the touch of the Shadow.”
“Yes,” said Finrod sadly. “If they could, much evil might have been undone.”
“Or not!” Frodo said. “Perhaps greater evil might have come from such absolute power. Or so I tell myself, anyway.”
Finrod nodded; then he asked, “Was it frowned upon, to be - as you were - in your homeland?”
Frodo laughed a little. “To look upon lads with desire, rather than lasses? It was not frowned upon, exactly; but it was not mentioned in polite company either. I was considered strange enough already without adding to my list of peculiarities!”
Puzzled, Finrod asked, “Why should you be considered strange?”
Frodo looked at him, seeming a little bemused. “You do not hesitate to place your finger on the center of a sore, do you?”
“I am sorry!” Finrod exclaimed. “I have been scolded for that since before the Sun rose; and yet I continue to - “ he paused - “put my nose where it is not wanted, as I am told they say in the Shire.”
Frodo chuckled. “It is quite alright! I was mostly teasing you; you are extraordinarily blunt for one of the Eldar.”
“I am told it is very charming,” said Finrod, hoping it was true.
“Well - perhaps! But anyway, you might as well ask why I was not considered odd; the list would be shorter. I was an orphan, and raised mostly by the Brandybucks - who are quite the wild family - and then by Bilbo, who was an eccentric old bachelor who loved to tell stories and was rumored to have bags upon bags of gold in his hobbit-hole.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” Finrod said sincerely. “It is difficult to lose a parent.”
“Thank you!” said Frodo. “I miss them every day, though I have not seen them since I was a faunt; my mother loved poetry, though she did not often write it, and my father loved to listen to her - or so I am told…but I am losing the thread. Scholars and scribes are not looked upon with particular favor in the Shire; and I was both! Besides which, I went on far too many walks, and did not eat enough, and was rather sickly as a child.”
Finrod blinked at the list. “Your homeland sounds a bit peculiar,” he remarked.
“Peculiar you might say; close-minded is another word,” said Frodo, “or simple, even. But I loved it all the same.”
“I can understand that,” said Finrod, thinking of the foolish Elves who had once dueled in the streets of Tirion in the days before the Darkening, and how he had mourned its shining walls and soaring towers for so long.
“Sauron got his hands on it before the end,” Frodo continued, “or rather Saruman did; and much of its innocence is gone, and with it a great deal of the prejudice that has long plagued it. I am - not sure I prefer it so. I had rather be laughed at, than treated so gravely; muttered about than reverenced; particularly so when I did not do much to deserve it.”
“Did you not?” said Finrod, thinking of a laita te, laita te at the end of Frodo of the Nine Fingers - for Galadriel had given him the music at once.
“I bore the Ring of Sauron,” said Frodo, “for eighteen years. Perhaps the greatest claim to heroics I have is that for seventeen of those years, while the Ring only stirred in its sleep, I behaved - decently. But the Lay does not sing of that!” He sighed. “It was wholly evil. It sought only to dominate, to grasp and whatever it might lay hands on. My hands. I thought - for so long, I thought - I am terribly depraved, I am wicked, I must be careful - I could not see a lovely lad, or even a lass, without wanting to devour them whole, I could not catch the glint of coin without thinking that ought to be mine: and I did not give in, but the evil seeped in anyway. So you see I did not really win.”
“I don’t see how you didn’t,” said Finrod; but only half his mind was on his words. The rest was thinking, in horrified fascination, of what it must have been to hold Sauron’s soul close for seventeen years. How had Frodo not gone mad?
Frodo must have seen some of what passed in his thought, for he said, “My - friends were always there. They lifted me up; reminded me what it was to laugh. Without them I would have been lost. Merry, and Pippin, and above all Sam.”
Finrod was silent; and after a moment Frodo continued, “It was almost a relief, when I was stabbed upon Weathertop; for I felt the chill of Sauron’s hand on me and it was familiar. The evil had not come from me, after all - or at least not wholly.
“And yet, with all this experience - wise by experience, my name means - I looked upon the Ring of Sauron, there in the wasteland that was Mordor, and I desired it. I still do; and its shadow lies upon my heart. I lost so utterly that there could be no recovery. Yet it is of this moment that the bards sing.”
Finrod said, “I know a little of having one’s greatest failure memorialized in song; but I cannot see failure in your actions. It seems to me,” he continued, “that a great violation was visited upon you, and that despite this terrible wound you traveled to the Dread Lands; and that by daring to set your strength against an Enemy who could have crushed you with a thought you won the freedom of all peoples. No Fingolfin are you, with mighty Ringil! Yet you came to the Black Gates nonetheless.”
He was a little in awe. Seventeen years! Of course Sauron had not been at his full strength then; but Finrod had spent only a month in the dungeons of Tol-in-Gaurhoth and he had been weary and sick at heart when he arrived in the Halls. And Sauron had not brought his full strength to bear against him anyway, after that one moment when their Songs clashed and Sauron’s had proven the greater.
Frodo had looked up sharply when Finrod began to speak. He said, “A failure! You would consider your part in the Lay of Leithian a failure?”
“My part,” said Finrod, observing the Lay with an academic eye, “narratively speaking, is to represent someone who died in chains. A fine contrast to Beren and Lúthien, no doubt!”
“You broke your chains,” Frodo pointed out.
“Ah! The shackles of immortality; those are what remained. It is even mentioned in the Lay, I believe; Finrod walks with his father Finarfin…well, I do! I cannot deny it! And in doing so, I am the anti-Lúthien: the one who did not break his chains after all.”
“Is that how you interpret it?” Frodo exclaimed. His academic nature was clearly getting the better of him. “I have always thought that you were free, at the end: free of your Oath, and the literal chains that bound you.” Then he blushed. “I am sorry! It is easy to forget that the Lay is not only a legend! It is not right to speak so.”
Finrod was slightly amused, and deeply touched. “That is very kind of you! But I do not mind it; King Felagund, who lived under the hills, is long gone. He belongs to the singers and the poets. I remember my friends Beren and Lúthien, who were young and kind; and I am glad they are loved by so many.”
“That is very strange to me!” Frodo said, “I cannot quite regard my own Lay with that kind of detached interest.”
“Yours was not written two Ages ago,” said Finrod, thinking of the first time he had heard Release from Bondage. It had - hurt. He had been glad for the chance to accord Beren and Lúthien honor; but would have happily cut himself out of the song altogether.
He grew serious. “But it was a failure. If you wish to see what true failure looks like, Cormacolindo, look to the Lay! My people rejected me; then I set my strength against Gorthaur, there in the tower I had built, and lost; if I broke free, it was too late to save any but Beren; and I - I died with my hands yet bound.”
Frodo’s face was filled with compassion; and his gaze was far away. “Sauron’s strength is great,” he whispered, “and his will is all in dominion.” Then he seemed to come back to himself. “You know,” he said, meeting Finrod’s gaze now, “I thought of you often in the Black Lands. I did not know you, of course; but I thought of the golden Elven-king who had battled Sauron and fell. It was a - comfort, of sorts. If I fell to the Ring at last, I would be in illustrious company. And then I did; it took me, body and soul.”
Finrod felt something approaching rage fill him at the thought of Sauron laying a hand on this mortal, who was so frail and small. Then Frodo smiled, seeming to catch the thought. Those bottomless eyes glinted; and as through a glass inverted, Finrod saw a strength of will so fierce and indomitable it took his breath away. Defeated this one had been at the last; but he had not come to the fight unarmed.
Frodo looked away, up to the stars again. “I still long for it,” he said quietly. “I gave up the world for it once, and I know in my heart that if it were before me again my hand would reach out, whether by my will or no. The Shadow is on me.”
“That may be,” said Finrod, “but it was not your fault that you were - violated in such a way. I know a little of such,” he added very softly.
Frodo shrugged. “My fault or no, I will carry it until I die. But the burden is perhaps lighter shared.” 
His eyes were tired; they reflected the stars. He smiled suddenly. “I thank you, you who have been named Nóm by Men, Angolodh by Elves, Zir by Hobbits! My heart becomes merry in your company.”
“I am glad,” said Finrod, “for mine is certainly in yours! I am told this is a common side effect of Hobbits!”
Frodo laughed. “Gandalf did not tell you that, surely? He is of the opinion that we are the primary cause of head-aches in Middle-earth, I believe.”
“No,” said Finrod smiling, “it was Elrond. He is quite fond of you.”
“He is quite fond of Bilbo, you mean,” said Frodo. “I cannot imagine why!”
“Can you not?” said Finrod, amused. “Elrond is quite fond of ingrates, I have noticed.”
Frodo swung around in shock, grinning. “Why, Zir, that was quite unkind of you! An insult worthy of a Hobbit Common-room! I had not imagined you had it in you.”
“I am full of surprises,” said Finrod. “You ought to invite me over for tea more often.”
“I think I will!” said Frodo. He rose slowly. “And now I think I had better get to bed. The stars cannot sustain me as they do you - to my everlasting regret!”
Hobbit and Elf parted at the gate, Frodo to bed and Finrod to the winding path down the hill. He took the path to the shoreline, seeing as he did so the light of Eärendil shining upon the ocean.
He was singing as he walked. 
120 notes · View notes
camille-lachenille · 5 months
Text
Fourth Age headcanons (part 1/?):
Aragorn and Arwen's children: Eldarion, Tindómiel and Tinwërínel, Eldalótë
Tumblr media
About the picture: Eldarion is wearing the ring of Barahir as well as the Elessar. Tindómiel favours dark colours, especially the royal colours of Gondor, and a few pieces of jewellery. Tiwërínel prefers a lighter and brighter palette for her clothes, and most of her wardrobe is inspired by Elvish fashion. Eldalótë wears bright colours and Elvish cut gowns, and she prefers pearl jewelery.
Eldarion always looks grave and thoughtful (he’s got his dad’s resting bitch face) but is actually very kind and optimistic. He makes for a good king in times of peace, close to his people and always ready to improve their life conditions. One of his chief missions is to expand the school system his mother established even to the most remote parts of the kingdom and founding affordable universities, the most famed being led by his sister. He is very fond of the sea, and spends as much of his time as he can in the coastal regions of his kingdom. He meets his wife, Medliniel, in Dol-Amroth, and they have a daughter, Míriel, who succeeds him on the throne.
Tindómiel and Tinwërínel are twins, born four years after Eldarion.
Tindómiel is stern and studious, preferring the company of old books to people. She is fiercely protective of her family and, much to the amusement of her parents inherited many of Elrond's mannerisms, notably his Disappointed GlareTM. Famed lore mistress, Tindómiel is the Lady of Isengard and dedicates her life to cataloguing and archiving all the things Saruman and his predecessors left in the tower of Orthanc, turning it in a high place of knowledge and studies in the Reunited Kingdom. She remains unwed but considers all the women of Gondor, Arnor, Rohan and beyond she taught as her daughters. She names one of her great-nieces as her heiress, declaring that the fiefdom of Isengard should always be ruled by a woman since men brought only ruin there. The Ladies of Isengard become known across all of Middle-Earth for their wisdom and knowledge.
Tinwërínel is as extroverted as her twin is introverted and she thrives in the political landscape of the Reunited Kingdom. Clever politician and ruthless diplomat, or vice versa depending of the situation, she is one of her father's most trusted advisors and he names her Stewardess of Arnor. Tinwërínel has to abdicate the function when she marries Elboron and becomes Princess of Ithilien, but she remains an active politician even as she raises three sons, and is part of her brother's council. She remains widowed at the age of 110 and returns to Annúminas where she is Chief Advisor of the Steward of Arnor until her death, several decades later.
Eldalótë, born seven years after the twins, is the splitting image of her mother, with her father’s love for wild places and his gift for healing. She is more than happy to be the youngest of the family, as it allows her to travel and explore without any care for politics. When in Gondor, Eldalótë spends most of her time studying the arts of healing, be it in Minas Tirith or beside Éowyn. It is during one of her stays in Ithilien that she meets Elfwine of Rohan, and they quickly start a secret courtship. They wed the year after she comes of age, making her queen of Rohan much to her dismay and her family’s amusement. Despite her initial reluctance, Eldalótë settles well enough in her role and dedicates much of her rule to building Houses of Healing in Edoras. She outlives her husband and, once their son is secure in his rule, Eldalótë leaves Rohan and divides her time between Minas Tirith, Orthanc and Annúminas. She is remembered in Rohan for her great kindess and constant cheerfulness.
About Eldarion's daughter under the cut:
King Eldarion of the House Telcontar, second king of the Reunited Kingdom, his wife Medliniel and their only daughter Míriel
Tumblr media
About the picture: Eldarion didn't change his style much as he appears here in his regalia. Míriel is wearing her formal court attire, icluding the ring of Barahir and the Elessar. The cut of her sleeves is a nod to her Elven ancestry while imitating a cape at the same time, which gives her more freedom of movement than wearing an actual cape. Medliniel comes from lesser nobility and she is more comfortable wearing simpler clothes (compared to her husband and daughter) and favours blue, the colour od Dol Amroth, over red and black.
CW mentions of miscarriage
Eldarion meets Medliniel in Dol-Amroth and it is love at first sight for the both of them. They wed after the shortest courtship and engagement possible without seeming entirely inappropriate and are expecting a child within the year. Unfortunately, Medliniel looses the baby and it takes them a long time before trying again. Medliniel miscarries twice more before finally giving birth to a healthy little girl they name Míriel. Eldarion and Medliniel commonly agree not to try for more children because another pregnancy could be fatal to her. They cherish their daughter and make sure she gets the best possible education as a future queen.
Míriel spends most of her childhood with her parents doting on her, but she also makes long stays by her various aunts and cousins to perfection her education. She studies history and ancient lore in Orthanc under the strict instruction of Tindómiel, rides wildly across Rohan with Eldalótë and learns the subtlety of both ruling and motherhood by her aunt Tinwërinel’s side. Strong minded and free hearted, Míriel has three children without ever marrying, though she openly lives with her lover and make no secret he is the father of her children.
When she becomes the first Ruling Queen of the Reunited Kingdom, Míriel continues many of the social refoms started by her father and grandfather. Her greatest accomplishent is to see Osgiliath fully restored to its former glory and, by the end of her reign, she even moves the capital from Minas Tirith back to Osgiliath. Her reign is highly controversed by the nobility but she is well loved by her people, especially the women. In fact, Míriel leads a great reform of the laws revolving around family, marriage and inheritance, and made sure women had equal rights over their children with their husband. She also funded a network of shelters for abused women and children.
And I'll stop here before turning this massive post into a fully fleshed fanfiction.
Next post of this series will be about Tinwërínel and Eldalótë's lives and their children.
31 notes · View notes
annab99awritersdream · 2 months
Text
Canon characters in my fic who need faceclaims:
(might be in need of a few updates, depending on how many canon book only! characters I actually end up including)
Ioreth
In my fic, she's Elenna's nursemaid and the self-proclaimed head of her household. She was lady-in-waiting to her grandmother, the Lady Finduilas of Dol Amroth and supervised her children's education.
Born: TA 2960 (is she really this young? Ioreth literally means 'old woman')
Died: FoA 39
Fancast: Harriet Walter
Tumblr media
Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth
Prince of Dol Amroth, Elenna and Elboron's great-uncle. He loves Faramir's children deeply and they love him back (Elenna constantly asks him for stories and anecdotes about her grandmother)
Born: TA 2955
Died: FoA 34
Fancast: Jeremy Irons
(in his youth: Eric Bana)
Tumblr media
Princess Finduilas of Dol Amroth
Imrahil's older sister. Elenna is said to be her spitting image, but she doesn't really believe it nor does she see the resemblance. She was Boromir and Faramir's mother and was married to Denethor, Ruling Steward of Gondor during the War of the Ring (though she was long dead by then)
Born: TA 2950
Died: TA 2988 (aged 38)
Fancast: Beren Saat
Tumblr media
Elboron Faramirion
Elenna's younger brother and heir to the House of Stewards. She calls him sunshine. He's ten years her junior.
Born: FoA 11
Died: unknown
Fancast: Eoin Murtagh (toddler)
Toby Regbo (adult)
Tumblr media
Eldarion Telcontar
Firstborn son of King Elessar and Queen Arwen Undómiel, he's the Crown Prince of Gondor and Arnor. Engaged to Elenna, he eventually marries Ilmarë, the Handmaiden of Varda.
Born: FoA 1
Died: FoA 220
Fancast: Henry Cavill
Tumblr media
7 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
Aragorn II, son of Arathorn II and Gilraen, also known as Elessar and Strider, was the 16th and last Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North; later crowned King Elessar Telcontar (March 1, 2931 - FO 120 or SR 1541), the 26th King of Arnor, 35th King of Gondor and first High King of Gondor and Arnor since the short reign of Isildur. He was a great Ranger and warrior, and as Isildur's heir he bore the shards of Narsil, reforged and renamed Andúril, Flame of the West, in the War of the Ring.
17 notes · View notes
Text
GOLDEN OLDIES
THE HOBBIT MEMES
LORD OF THE RINGS MEMES
THE FELLOWSHIP SHIT POSTS
Tumblr media Tumblr media
King Elessar Telcontar had a tax policy? 🤔
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
90 notes · View notes
glitteringaglarond · 1 year
Text
How I would rewrite the LOTR movies aka my thesis statement in fixing what they did to Faramir (and others):
They should have been exactly like the books.
Aaaaand post.
But no I actually want to put some thought into this, because I truly hold that even with (most of) the changes, the PJ LOTR movies are truly works of art. I want to explore the idea of how to rewrite them within the framework of what they are, although obviously pulling from the books. A lot of this is an exercise in reframing movie scenes in order to better match book characterization.
My restraints are not to add something without taking out something of equal or similar length (with the exception of adding just one or two lines to a scene). For example, I could add in Tom Bombadil but then would probably have to take out Caradhras. But also if I wanted to include Eowyn's entire speech to the Witch King I wouldn't need to take anything out to do it.
I'm also not going to be sticking 100% to the books either. There are moments that will basically be "this isn't canon either, but it's closer to canon, and doesn't ruin this character in the process".
So let's do this!
The Fellowship of the Ring:
The first movie is, in my opinion, adaptationally the best of the three. There is a lot of excellent stuff that is cut out (Merry organizing the Conspiracy to smuggle Frodo out of the Shire, Tom Bombadil, Glorfindel, etc.), but all in all I would not change much of it.
Key word: Much
The two characters in the FOTR movie that I would tweak slightly, while still fitting within the time, structure, and pacing constraints of the movie, are Aragorn and Elrond.
---
So we get to our first change: the infamous "men are weak" scene between Elrond and Gandalf. Because we all know that Elrond Peredhel, beloved brother of Elros Tar-Minyatur, foster father of Elessar Telcontar, and lore-master of all people, would never hold that opinion. So instead, I want to reframe this conversation.
Instead of being bitter and angry, I want Elrond to be sad. Instead of "men are weak" I want "What is the strength of even the men of Gondor against the power of the Ring," before going into a flashback where he watched Isildur take the Ring and made the mistake of not recognizing it. Frame it as building up the deceptive power of the Ring (which will then come into play later with how it fools Boromir), and how because of this mistake the power of the Ring overcame the strength of Men. "I was there, Gandalf. I was there 3,000 years ago when the strength of men was usurped by darkness. I was there when the shadow began to grow anew, in the same moment it was vanquished, and I could not recognize it."
(you get the idea).
---
So now that we've changed Elrond, the changes to Aragorn's character that ostensibly come from the self-doubt he grew up because of movie!Elrond's "men are weak" policy need fixed as well.
Again, without just making movie!Aragorn into book!Aragorn, but just creating something within the movie framework that is more aligned with book!Aragorn, I suggest the following.
The scene with Boromir is mostly fine, so I shall leave it as is. The changes I make will happen when Arwen shows up and in his conversation with her. Her "Why do you fear the past..." will not be answered with "the same blood flows in my veins - same weakness" but rather "The very darkness that destroyed Isildur is growing. I have spent countless years being hunted by it, and now I must face it head-on", (implying that's what his fear is) which ties in rather perfectly with her "The Shadow does not hold sway yet; not over you and not over me." Thus we still get the impression that she is older and wiser than him, and even allowing him some level of vulnerability that he doesn't really have in the book, without removing his greatness.
---
One final scene I would re-frame is the conversation between Elrond and Aragorn at Gilraen's memorial.
First of all, while I wholeheartedly accept that there is a memorial to Gilraen in Rivendell, I refuse to believe that it would be allowed to be so un-tended that Aragorn literally has to wipe off leaves and dirt.
Secondly, I want Elrond to be there first, and for Aragorn to join him. Elrond has been sitting beside the memorial of his old friend, because the return of Aragorn makes him miss her all the more keenly. "She wanted to protect her child..." etc. is a decent bit of dialogue and I would keep it as is. But now I'm making a change.
Elrond: "She knew in Rivendell you would be safe. In her heart, your mother knew your road would be full of peril if you were ever to come to the light at the end of the darkness."
Aragorn: "A light she could not find the hope to survive long enough to see."
Allow this to sit between them for a moment, before having Elrond ask a question: "And do you have the hope needed to find that light, Estel my son?"
This does multiple things. 1) It frames Aragorn's future as a choice. One he has already made in the book, but a choice I don't see a problem with making part of the main plot. It's no longer about not wanting "that power" or his fate, but rather whether or not he has the necessary hope to see it through (spoiler alert: he does). 2) It establishes the father/son bond the two of them have 3) It name-drops Estel. Which I love for reasons.
This would then cut to Anduril being re-forged, and Aragorn would have it throughout the entire rest of the movies.
Because I have now added something, I must take something away. Obviously, because Aragorn is no longer hiding from his destiny, we can take away the "you are afraid... scared of who you are, of what you are" scene between him and Boromir.
---
Other than that, the only real changes I would make are let Aragorn be a little bit more involved in choosing their course. I'm fine with Gandalf being the one not to want to go to Moria, but Aragorn should suggest it as an alternate route instead of Gimli.
---
The Two Towers:
I want to change just about everything about this movie, as it's the worst of the three adaptation wise. However, I am still going to stick to the general constraints of pacing and structure of the movie.
To continue on from the changes to FOTR, I'm going to talk first about how the changes to Elrond and Aragorn will have an impact on TTT.
First of all, Aragorn will be walking forward with the weight of his legacy on his shoulders and will act accordingly. This includes being dramatic about being told to leave Anduril at the door before going in to see Theoden.
Most of the whole "I do not want that power" plot is absent in this movie, but the dynamic between Elrond and Aragorn in those flashbacks would be massively different because of the changes I've made to FOTR.
---
First, a minor change to the Aragorn/Arwen flashback. I don't want Aragorn filled with as much doubt as he is in the movie. Instead of "You must go with Frodo; this is your path" "My path is hidden from me..." "It is already laid before your feet, I want to reframe their conversation slightly.
Arwen: "You must go with Frodo and follow the path you have chosen. Follow your path through the shadow, to the light."
Aragorn: "And if the shadow proves stronger than the light?"
Arwen: "That is yet to be seen, but you cannot falter now."
And then we can keep the lines about "If you trust nothing else trust this... trust us" because my romantic heart loves them.
Once again, it reframes this into being about Aragorn knowing that his role is to be one of Hope that will bring about light after the darkness, but because his mother has just died, and very explicitly without any hope, he is allowing himself to privately express doubts. But it still does not take away from his greatness.
---
Next is a change to the Elrond and Aragorn scene where he basically tells him Arwen is leaving and that's final. I feel I must repeat, this exercise is not me making everything like it was in the book, but rather making small changes that bring the movies closer to what they should have been while still sticking to the structure and pacing provided.
Once again, this is a reframe, and not getting rid of it entirely, because to stick with the structure we do need Arwen to start to leave.
Elrond: "Our time here is ending. My time is ending. Soon I will sail away to the Undying Lands and leave much that I love behind me - including you, Aragorn. Do not ask me to leave behind my daughter as well."
Aragorn: "You know that choice does not belong to me."
Elrond: "Her choice depends on you, Aragorn. Should you come to the light at the end of the shadow and take her hand, you will bring to me a bitter parting - one of the bitterest I have faced. And still, you will not spare her the grief that mortality ends in."
Once again, Aragorn won't really answer Elrond, but their conversation hangs heavily in the air between them. When he goes in to speak to Arwen, instead of trying to sneak off like in the movie, I would now reframe it to echo the conversation he just had with Elrond.
Aragorn: "You have a chance for another life. Away from war... grief... despair. A life where the bitterness of partings will not weigh heavily on you."
Arwen: "Why are you saying this? I made my choice long ago, to accept both the bitter and the sweet."
Aragorn: "But what of the griefs you force others to bear? Can we really inflict this sorrow on Elrond? On your own mother, who even now awaits you?"
Arwen: "Would you have me depart, Estel?"
And then cut out of this scene to the one in the movie where Eowyn is asking about Arwen, and have Aragorn answer "she is sailing to the undying lands."
Again, it's not exactly like the books, but it's much less "Dad doesn't approve of his daughter's choice in boyfriend" and more "This choice that they are making is one that brings as much grief as it does happiness". Also, it allows for another name drop of Estel. Which I love. For reasons.
---
Shockingly, I would not change very much about everything going on in Rohan. Because the whole under-a-spell thing going on with movie!Theoden is easier for a general audience to understand, I would keep it. However, I would change Theoden going against Gandalf's advice to go to Helm's Deep. I would have Gandalf suggest going there, as in the books, and Theoden agreeing to do it.
I would also get rid of the entire Aragorn-falling-off-a-cliff side plot, and replace it with some Eowyn material.
Before Theoden departs to Helm's Deep Eowyn, of course, expresses her desire to join them. Instead he orders her to stay behind and rule Edoras, and we get a scene of her being dressed in armor and knighted. This makes it clear that while she is being left behind, her duty to Edoras is deemed just as important as Theoden's duty to Helm's Deep, even if it's something that irks her.
(obviously Eowyn not traveling to Helm's Deep changes the framing of her conversation with Aragorn about Arwen, but they can have this conversation as he is getting ready to depart).
I would also change the elves coming to Helm's Deep to the arrival of the Dunedain. Yes, this is a little bit before when they were supposed to show up in the book, but it that's a smaller change than bringing in a bunch of elves. We can also have Halbarad die here instead of at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, as opposed to Haldir meeting his end.
---
You all know the point of this exercise all comes down to what Peter Jackson did to Faramir, so let's talk about Faramir.
Objectively, the Osgiliath plot fulfills two purposes: 1) it extends Frodo and Sam's story, which in the book is much shorter than everybody else's story, so that they can still get about as much screentime as everybody else as each movie progresses and 2) it clues people in on what is happening in Osgiliath and in Gondor in general.
So let's fulfill these purposes without completely ruining Faramir.
First of all, instead of Faramir having his men bind Frodo and Sam's hands when he's taking them to Henneth Annun he tells them "Bind their eyes as we lead them onward - we must keep our secret paths a secret". This immediately keeps the momentum going, but instead of framing him as somebody who has the possibility of having a cruel streak (as is later proven true in the movie by him having an emaciated halfling brutally beaten), it shows that he's very practical in these dark times, but not cruel.
When Faramir mentions that Boromir is his brother go ahead and have both the flashback to his vision of the boat, as well as to him and Boromir at Osgiliath. However, we are getting rid of the retcon that ruins Boromir's motivations/character, and is part of everything going sideways with how the movies portray the line of Stewards. Instead of a victory speech after retaking Osgiliath, have the flashback show Faramir and Boromir fighting side-by-side, and being unable to stop the Nine from crossing over the bridge and then riding off into the distance. (Towards the Shire, being inferred). And when the Nine pass over safely, most of the forces draw back. So it becomes a victory, but a very cautious, uncertain, terrifying victory.
Give Boromir a moment where a young soldier, barely more than a boy, dies in his arms. This then ties in to how close he was to the Hobbits and how willing he was to die for them. When the boy dies, have Faramir pull Boromir to his feet and comfort him, showing that while Boromir is the support for the soldiers - Faramir is the support for Boromir. After taking a moment to compose himself, have Boromir joke about how he's not sure how he'll manage without Faramir when he leaves for Rivendell to get counsel from Elrond in the morning, and then switch back to the present.
This will be longer than the flashback in the movie, but now we don't need Faramir to take Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath to get an idea of what's happening there.
Now we have started establishing the kind of person that Faramir is, even if it's not completely book accurate, and can keep moving forward.
We will keep the sequence of flashback -> catch Gollum -> conversation with Frodo and Sam, instead of having the conversation where he finds out about the Ring before catching Gollum, but we will still change things a little bit. Namely: completely get rid of the scene where Faramir has an emaciated halfling cruelly beaten.
After catching Gollum, Faramir talks with Frodo and Sam. We're going to let him have a little bit more information than he does in the books, and he is able to guess who and what Gollum is.
Faramir: "Gandalf came to Minas Tirith searching for answers not long ago. It seems to me you two and your companion spell out the question he wanted the answers for. I do not doubt that Fate has bound you with the errand of my brother, who went in search of answers about Isildur's Bane."
Frodo: "Your guess is close to the mark, Faramir, but I am bound to secrecy and cannot say more."
Faramir then pieces the rest of it together and guesses that Frodo's burden is the Ring, and then says something to echo Boromir's words when he tried to take the Ring - which terrifies Frodo. "So your Burden is the weapon of the enemy, and you are traveling towards Mordor. Will you then destroy it? Is that your purpose? Deprive these lands of a powerful weapon?"
And of course Frodo and Sam do not trust Faramir. They've known him for a single day, so they jump back and draw their swords, but Faramir waves them down. "Put down your swords. I am wise enough to know that there are some perils from which a man must flee. Sit at peace! I would not pick up this thing and use it if I found it by the roadside - I know too well of the darkness, and do not doubt that the Ring would destroy all light, no matter who wielded it."
(Again. Not as good as book!Faramir, and we don't really get him realizing what happened between Frodo and Boromir, but certainly better than what the movie gave us.)
Also keep this entire conversation, because it's beautiful:
'Well, Frodo, now at last we understand one another,' said Faramir. 'If you took this thing on yourself, unwilling, at others' asking, then you have pity and honour from me. And I marvel at you: to keep it hid and not to use it. You are a new people and a new world to me. Are all your kin of like sort? Your land must be a realm of peace and content, and there must gardeners be in high honour.'   'Not all is well there,' said Frodo, 'but certainly gardeners are honoured.'
But now we run into a problem, in regards to the two reasons mentioned above as to why the Osgiliath arc was included: even with the extended flashback sequence, this still is not quite as long as what it needs to be to extend this portion of the story to match what's going on with the rest of the Company.
It's closer to the mark, but if we want to end Frodo and Sam's portion of the story at the end of the movie to them walking together at the edge of Ithilien after leaving Faramir, this needs to be a bit longer.
So follow Faramir as he goes to Osgiliath, departing from Frodo and Sam in friendship. Have him escort them as far as their paths coincide, and then leave them behind to go to Osgiliath. And have Sam say something about "He's like Boromir, this Faramir is. Only... only different" and have Frodo somberly agree.
Then have a scene with Faramir at Osgiliath, tension heavy in the air because they know another attack will come soon, and they only won the last attack because the enemy drew back. This will be intercut with the victory at Helm's Deep, and Sam's "folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't" speech.
Then we can get the scene of Gandalf, Theoden, Aragorn, Legolas, and Eomer's stunt double looking out in the direction of Mordor, and then cut back to Frodo and Sam with their "will we ever be put in songs or tales" conversation.
And there we go! We killed some time, didn't destroy Faramir, Boromir, or Denethor, and got to understand what's happening in Osgiliath a little bit better.
---
Also, as it's relevant to mention this now, change the majority of Galadriel's voiceover at the start of the stuff with Faramir, because most of it sets up the arrival of the elves to Helm's Deep and the ruining of Faramir. Because the movies have established a connection between Arwen and Frodo, with Arwen taking Glorfindel's place, have the mental conversation be between Galadriel and Arwen, not Elrond. During this conversation Galadriel can talk about "the strength of the ringbearer is fading", but also talk about how Sauron's darkness is growing and hope dims. Imply that Galadriel's words, along with Arwen's conversation with Aragorn, is part of what convinces her to leave. So basically make the conversation about Frodo, Aragorn, and Arwen, and not about... ruining Faramir.
And then related to this, in the scene in the movie where Elrond talks about the future and Aragorn's death, I want to make a couple of changes. Arwen has had the mental conversation with Galadriel, and is now nearly convinced to leave. So she asks Elrond... what would my future be if I were to stay? And he tells her - similarly to what he tells her in the actual scene. And this, knowing the grief she will bring to her family and that she will not, in the end, escape herself, is what makes her choose to leave.
---
One more change I would make is that the Ents decide at Entmoot to attack Saruman. Merry and Pippin helping convince them with the whole "the closer we are to danger the farther we are from harm" bit added very little time to the movie. And while that line is fantastic, I would rather see the Ent's come away from their entmoot singing and booming like drums.
Also, don't make Gimli the butt of the jokes, and give him his angsty but badass Helm's Deep injury.
---
The Return of the King
A lot of the first bit of this move I'll leave mostly untouched. As much as I'm sad we don't get the scouring of the Shire I get why it wasn't included, so Saruman dies at the beginning of ROTK. Arwen also chooses to stay in Middle Earth after having a vision of Eldarion, and yes... even the bit with Gandalf taking Pippin to Minas Tirith because Sauron thinks he has the Ring. Although I will change what exactly it is that Pippin saw, and instead just make it that he was questioned by Sauron. And now they have to get him to Minas Tirith so that he's safe behind those strong walls before a Nazgul can get to them. (this can even be where we include an alteration of "the closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm" line, because if they're riding for Minas Tirith they're actually getting closer to Sauron).
---
The first major change (if I'm remembering the sequence of the movie correctly) is the scene where Elrond brings Anduril to Aragorn. Because remember, in my rewrite he has it from the time they leave Rivendell.
Instead of Elrond showing up with the sword, we'll have Arwen show up with the standard that she made for Aragorn and with a message from Galadriel, reminding Aragorn of the Paths of the Dead. Aragorn travels with her, Legolas, Gimli, and the Dunedain (who remember showed up at Helm's Deep in my rewrite) on that road.
I would also change absolutely everything that makes the Paths of the Dead humorous, absolutely including Gimli blowing away ghosts. It's going to be exactly like stepping into a horror movie. We also will not see them get to the ships, because I want the arrival of the ships at Pelennor Fields to be a moment of horror and doom until Aragorn is revealed to be on them.
When they arrive at Pelennor Fields, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Arwen, and the Dunedain attack and kill orcs, while the ghosts are merely helpful in frightening them. They might not be able to be killed, but they can't kill foes either. They can just get them to drop their weapons so our heroes can kill them without any trouble.
Arwen can also continue traveling with Aragorn everywhere he goes, and can be part of the final battle at the Black Gate.
(again, not exactly like the books, but more in line than what we got while still sticking to the pacing and structure provided in the movies).
---
Denethor is the other major thing I would change, predictably.
First of all, like in the books I would have Pippin and Gandalf see the beacons have been lit as they ride towards Minas Tirith, which increases Gandalf's fears. This, however, means we don't get the scene where Pippin has to light the beacon, so I'm replacing that with something else.
After the initial conversation with Denethor, which will automatically be a bit different because Denethor has already lit the beacons, but which will include Pippin offering his service, Gandalf and Pippin talk. Gandalf says Denethor is very wise and very powerful, but he fears how he came to have the information he has. Because Aragorn has not yet revealed himself. While this conversation with Pippin is going on, show Denethor in his tower with a Palantir, watching as Sauron's armies move slowly across Middle Earth and towards Osgiliath.
Cut to Faramir in Osgiliath, and the attack/retreat towards Minas Tirith.
Slightly reframe the scene with Faramir and Denethor, and make it clear that Denethor is so upset about Faramir sending Frodo towards Mordor with the Ring because he knows some of what is coming. "You did what you deem to be right, and yet you are sending a halfling alone to confront an entire army. He will fail, and all will fall."
Also don't make the ride on Osgiliath a suicide run, but an actual strategic move to buy time for Rohan to come.
Then when Faramir is injured, give Denethor another scene in his tower with the Palantir. This time, instead of just watching, have him seem to truly try to force more information out of it... and he catches Sauron's eye. "You think these armies are all you need to worry about? You know nothing. Hope is ended, and only time stands between you and death", he hears in his head as Sauron forces him to look upon the black ships, the massive armies, and Osgiliath smoking in ruin.
And that is when he goes truly insane.
Finally, instead of running a 5k off the wall, when Gandalf saves Faramir from the pyre, have Denethor pull out the Palantir and give Gandalf an echo of Sauron's words. "Hope is ended, and only time stands between us and death. So I choose my own time" before lying down on the pyre and burning, due to the oil poured all over himself, before anybody has the chance to save him.
---
Frodo. Never. Tells. Sam. To. Leave.
We can extend their stay in Mordor a little bit to make up for it, time-wise. After they escape from that party of orcs they get caught up in, give them one last encounter with a couple of orcs deserters. The deserters see the two of them and try to kill them, but Sam fends them off. This encounter has an upside and a downside. The upside: these orcs had water, so now Frodo and Sam have more than they did before. The downside: they are now even more exhausted then they were before.
---
Actually give Faramir and Eowyn more time in the Houses of Healing to make the movie romance work. Partially fixing Faramir's character goes a long way in making it work better now, but one scene where they stare at each other is Not Enough.
---
Not all of this is perfect, of course, but that's how I would effect a rewrite of the PJ LOTR movies without massively changing the basic pacing, structure, and scene-placement that we were given.
If you made it to the end, what do you think? Is this better or worse than what we got?
41 notes · View notes
Text
12 notes · View notes